Vegetable Idli

Today I am going to share a healthy and homemade recipe of vegetable idli. You can also start giving it as a baby food after 9 months of age.

First bites are a huge milestone in baby’s life. Getting a perfect recipe for baby’s first food can also be challenging. For the first six months, the breast milk is the only food that your baby needs for the growth and to be healthy.

If you’re baby is 6 months+ and you are  planning to start giving solids to your baby then start giving easily digestible food. You can start given fruits and vegetables purees to the baby as first foods and later become more adventurous with other snacks.

Avoid adding salt or sugar until 1 year to the baby food. Babies require a very small quantity of salt which is less than 1g  per day until they are 12 months. Since baby’s kidneys can’t cope with more salt than this, it is better to avoid adding salt to the baby food.

Keep offering the food but please never force feed your baby. It’s a slow, sometimes even frustrating process.

Vegetable idlis are extremely soft and safe food for babies. There is minimum chance of choking. You can cut the vegetable idli  into strips and serve them. Here’s a recipe to make idli batter. 

How to Sneak in Nutrition:

Add in as many vegetables as you can lay your hands on! You can always include any vegetable of your choice, but make sure to chop them finely. You can also blend it to avoid the risk of choking. Coconut and peanut chutney are great accompaniments as they add to the nutrient value of the dish.

Ingredients

• 4 cups idli batter
• 1 cup grated carrot
• 1/2 cup grated cabbage
• 1/4 cup grated coconut
• 1 medium sized finely chopped onion
• 3 tsp ghee
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• A pinch asafoetida
• 2 tbsp finely chopped coriander leaves

 

Method to Prepare

Take fermented idli batter.

Take a pan and add 1 teaspoon of ghee and add cumin seeds and asafoetida.  Allow it to splutter then add finely chopped onion fry for 5-7 seconds . Now add grated cabbage,  grated carrot and cook for 2-3 minutes. It will get cooked quickly. Switch off the flame.

Add the grated coconut to this vegetable mixture and add finely chopped coriander leaves. Allow it to cool for 2-3 minutes.

Add the cooked vegetable to the idli batter and mix well. Grease the idli plates with ghee and pour the batter into the idli molds.

Steam the vegetable idlis for 12-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Serve the vegetable idli with coconut chutney.

Enjoy!